NASA’s Juno spacecraft took this image on Feb. 2, 2017 from an altitude of about 9,000 miles above the Jupiter's swirling cloud tops.The Juno spacecraft has been in orbit around Jupiter since July 4, 2016. The $1.1 billion mission involves a science experiment from the University of Arizona scientists. NASA

This close-up view of Jupiter captures the turbulent region just west of the Great Red Spot in the South Equatorial Belt. The resolution of this area is better than any previous pictures from Earth or other spacecraft. NASA

In this photo provided by NASA, Juno team members celebrate in mission control of the Space Flight Operations Facility at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory after they received confirmation from the spacecraft that it has successfully entered orbit of Jupiter, Monday, July 4, 2016, in Pasadena, Calif. The Juno mission launched August 5, 2011, and will orbit the planet for 20 months to collect data on the planetary core, map the magnetic field, and measure the amount of water and ammonia in the atmosphere. Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via AP

Scott Bolton, left, and Rick Nybakken are seen in a post-orbit insertion briefing at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory following the solar-powered Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter on Monday, July 4, 2016, in Pasadena, Calif. Associated Press

Rick Nybakken, Juno project manager, holds a model of the Juno spacecraft discusses the orbit the Juno spacecraft will take around Jupiter during a briefing at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, on Monday, July 4, 2016. Associated Press

Rick Nybakken, Juno project manager, holds a model of the Juno spacecraft while talking about the solar panels and the orbit it will take around Jupiter during a briefing at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday, July 4, 2016. Associated Press

Rick Nybakken, Juno project manager, holds a model of the Juno spacecraft while talking about the solar panels and the orbit it will take around Jupiter during a briefing at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday, July 4, 2016. Associated Press

If things continue to work as planned, Juno will orbit Jupiter 32 times in the coming year, avoiding moons and coming within 3,100 miles of the planet to conduct scientific studies and take pictures.

Deep-space magic

Here’s the magic: We don’t know what will be revealed. Scientists hope the new information will answer questions about Jupiter and our solar system. But we don’t know what we’ll find out.

We do know that Juno's goal is to advance our collective knowledge.

It should remind us all of the enormity of the universe we share and how much we have to learn. This deep-space perspective on the melodrama of daily life on earth is brought to you by gee-whiz scientists who should be today's big-time celebrities.

The right stuff

Here's what it took to make this happen: cooperation, information, dedication, education and a driving desire to know more for the pure thrill of learning. Imagine the complexity and the magnitude of putting a probe into orbit around Jupiter.

I have trouble parallel parking, for cryin’ out loud. The scientists who made this happen parallel parked a space probe alongside the biggest planet in our solar system. Flawlessly.

This is much better than the shallow celebrity stuff our culture tends to worship.